EMPOWERING LIVES WITH PURPOSE:
Each day that we open our eyes, we have a choice to either be positive or negative as we face the day ahead of us.
Do any of us think to focus on God’s blessings and the wonderful possibilities of living life for Him? Or do thoughts immediately return us to our troubles and the busyness or troubles ahead, and what amounts to far less than what God has for us?
Each day, I must conscientiously choose to be optimistic. Trust me, it’s not always easy being positive and keeping a smile in my voice. I can, unfortunately, succumb to the pressures surrounding my days if I’m not aware of myself. If I give in to the fret, those days end up wasted. Then, deep inside, I get aggravated and know it’s the choice I made by my attitude.
I was reading in Philippians about the apostle Paul, who, although physically imprisoned, chose to wake up spiritually “free” each day. He consistently chose to show gratitude over grumbling. He chose to be joyful over being depressed. He chose to trust God over doubting him.
There may have been a reason God kept Paul in prison, I do not know, but it is there that he wrote the letters which gave us lessons, encouragement, and warnings. Paul could have chosen to sit in prison and rot away in self-pity, depression, and pessimism. If he did, you and I would not have some of the most life-changing accounts of his life from which to learn.
Today, let’s all try to choose joy for our attitudes in our health, as well as the health of those surrounding us.
“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with Thanksgiving, present your request to God.” (Philippians 4:6).
(Taken from the book, “Fuel for Life” by Kimberly Hobbs)